Layar Player Leaves Beta And Comes To Three iOS Apps

For as hot as tablets are in the hardware space, augmented reality is
really coming into stride in the software space. We can't think of
another segment in particular that is gaining momentum the way that AR
is, and Layar is obviously reaping the benefits. This app was one of the
first to launch in support of next-gen AR on the mobile, allowing users
to simply point their phone around and discover new and exciting
landmarks, restaurants, etc.

This week, Layar has announced that their Layar Player is out of beta,
and now available to all agencies, brands and developers to include AR
for free in their own iPhone applications and to reach over a million
active users on the Layar platform. That's big news for those who rely
heavily on augmented reality on their iPhone, and the end of the beta
period also means the launch of three Layar Player-enabled iPhone apps.

Those are the Bing-sponsored Snowboard Hero, Layar Trade (an application
helping people view recent projects and work from local builders) and
VerbeterdeBuurt, an application to improve your neighborhood, letting
neighbors post their issues and ideas for the public space on the map.
We have to believe that these three are just the tip of the iceberg,
with more and more to come as developers have time to implement the new
Player into their software. Just watch where you're going while
engrossed in your AR app, okay?

Layar Player Released Today with the Launch of Three Player-Enabled iPhone Apps

AMSTERDAM, January 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Layar, the largest open platform in mobile augmented reality (AR), announced today that the Layar Player is out of beta. The Player is now available to all agencies, brands and developers to include AR for free in their own iPhone applications (apps) andr each over a million active users on the Layar platform.

The beta period concludes with the launch of three Layar Player enabled iPhone apps - Bing sponsored Snowboard Hero, an augmented reality extension in the popular game that allows players to earn more points; Layar Trade, an application helping people view recent projects and work from local builders; and VerbeterdeBuurt, an application to improve your neighborhood, letting neighbors post their issues and ideas for the public space on the map.

"This year is about the democratization of augmented reality as we work to find ways to make it easier for everyone to create and publish AR content," said Claire Boonstra, co-founder and VP of platform and community. "The Player availability is the first of many activities Layar will be announcing this year to make this democratization happen."

"At Bing, we aim to bring information into people's lives that is visually organized, simple and easy to digest. Augmented reality on mobile devices provides more opportunities to overlap reality with digital information that informs, educates and creates new ways to play within your environment," said Wibe Wigenmans, Bing for Mobile. "The mobile experience for Bing users continues to evolve as we constantly look for ways to create visually engaging experiences."

NEW iPHONE APPS USING LAYAR PLAYER

Bing Sponsored Snowboard HeroCreated By: Fishlabs and MUZARAvailable: United States

Hit the powder year round! For all of those gamers who just can't get enough of the action, you can now open Snowboard Hero and play directly in your reality. This Bing sponsored game gives you the opportunity to collect extra credits by using augmented reality based on GPS position. To start playing, a user goes outside into an open area and fires up the game. The goal is to collect as many credits as possible within five minutes.

VerbeterdeBuurtCreated By: TAB Worldmedia in cooperation with The SaintsAvailable: Netherlands

Take control of your community. VerbeterdeBuurt is a tool for citizens to report any disturbance within their neighborhood directly to their municipality. It is the natural way to see reported issues as well as the submitted ideas for improvements within your own community.

Trade VisionCreated By: AYR CommunicationsAvailable: United Kingdom

When hiring a contractor, don't just take their word for it - see for yourself. Trade Vision provides a unique way to seek out work from a local tradesman. By viewing what's around you using augmented reality, you will be presented with icons representing the different types of work recently undertaken by tradesmen in your area.